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Band-Offset Determination for Intrinsic a-Si/ p+ μc-Si or Intrinsic a-Si/n+ νc-Si Heterostructure

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Hong Zhu  and
Stephen J Fonash
Hong Zhu
Affiliation:
Electronic Materials and Processing Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, 227 Hammond Bldg, University Park, PA 16802
Stephen J Fonash
Affiliation:
Electronic Materials and Processing Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, 227 Hammond Bldg, University Park, PA 16802
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Abstract

The conduction band ΔEc and valance band ΔEv, off-sets at interfaces are critical parameters for device simulation. With the transport simulation code AMPS we demonstrate the possibility of using an analysis of the far forward I-V characteristics versus temperature for i- layer /n+ or i-layer /p+ hetero structures to obtain ΔEc or AE., respectively. For example, if one wants to extract AE, from experimental data for the interface a-Si/uc n+ Si interface, we show this can be done using a metal/intrinsic a-Si:H/uc n+ Si structure. With proper choice of the metal, the hole barrier height at the metal can be made large enough that the far forward current is only carried by electrons. We have found that, with the proper choice of structure thickness this far forward current can be controlled by ΔEc and not by space charge limited current. Unlike the work of Arnold et al [1], we have found that the choice of structure thickness is critical. In this case of an a-Si/uc n+ structure this far forward current is actually controlled by ΔEC+ΔVn where ΔVn is the activation energy in the n+ uc-Si layer. Since ΔVn can typically be ∼ 0.05eV in uc-Si, we see that ΔEc is essentially controlling this far forward current. To demonstrate the approach for the case of an a-Si/uc n+ Si interface we consider different i-layer thicknesses.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 507: Symposium A – Amorphous & Microcrystalline Silicon Technology 1998 , 1998 , 371
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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References

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